Court to hear ‘Pacific Ale’ dispute

The Federal Court has allocated five days in April to hear Stone & Wood’s dispute with subsidiaries of Melbourne brewer Thunder Road over the Pacific Ale trade mark.

Justice Mark Moshinsky will preside over the dispute between Stone & Wood and the two Thunder Road entities, Intellectual Property Development Corporation Pty Ltd and Elixir Signature Pty Ltd.

The matter has been listed for hearing at the Federal Court’s Victoria Registry between April 11 and 15, after mediation failed to bring about a resolution last year.

The beers in question featured in markedly different categories of the 2015 Australian International Beer Awards (AIBA), after Australian Brews News revealed the trade mark stoush last year.

Stone & Wood Pacific Ale picked up a Silver Medal in the English Summer Ale category.

Thunder Road ‘Double Fermentation Series’ Pacific Ale won a Silver in the Best Australian Style Pale Ale category, and a Bronze in the Other Belgian / French Style Ale category.

The parties were contacted for comment.

NB: In the interests of full disclosure, Australian Brews News’ Matt Kirkegaard has been engaged as an independent expert witness in the case by Stone & Wood. He will have no involvement in the reporting of the case.